Tower Crane Operations Minimum Competency

Requirements

Project Overview

Prior to development of this document a gap was identified in guidelines of competency requirements
for personnel within tower crane operations. Industry practices and requirements were reviewed and
relevant recommendations have been developed.

This document is designed to outline the minimum requirements and provides guidance for Construction
Personnel – Craft, Supervisory, Technical, Managerial and Professional bodies in Tower Crane
Operations.

All personnel must meet the minimum criteria and ensure they are competent and have verifiable,
relevant and current industry experience and knowledge of their occupation. This should be verified by
records of continuing professional development.

In order to meet contractual and regulative requirements, many sectors of industry require Construction
Personnel to possess certification from recognised industry approved bodies. The approved or
awarding body should encourage all Construction Personnel to hold appropriate registration cards or
certificates to support industry initiatives for a qualified workforce.

Individuals and employees can use National Occupational Standards (NOS) as a base point for
qualifications that relate to their competences against their own or other jobs. It provides a foundation
for continual professional development within their sector of the industry.

The purpose of this document is to evaluate, develop and implement the conditions for a safe and
healthy environment – ensuring all necessary personnel and procedures have been identified, ensuring
all Construction Personnel are competent and aware of their health and safety responsibilities,
identifying environmental factors and sustainability requirements.
General notes

1. Employers must determine competence of each individual person, both existing employees and new entrants, based on
the attributes listed in the tables, together with academic qualifications. A shortfall on attainment level does not
preclude employment in the role but such shortfalls must be addressed before the person is allowed to carry out the
role.
2. Specific qualifications need to be gained through the specified training course.
3. Experience may be used as indication of competence; however it must be based on and supported by objective
assessment. This could be done, for example, against NVQ/QCF criteria.
4. All persons working at height should receive suitable and sufficient training in work at height. This should be
maintained through regular review of learning, and refresher courses as appropriate.
5. Trainees may undertake roles without the full qualifications and experience listed, provided they have had suitable and
sufficient health and safety training, they are adequately supervised, and their specific tasks are limited to those in
which they are competent. Guidance on composition of Erection Teams, including trainees, is give in [document title
tbc]

Role
Engineering Manager
(Qualified Engineer carrying out
tower crane layout planning, tie
design and base design and able
to assist with engineering
assessment of in-service issues)
Sales Technician
Construction Management /
Principal Contractor
Operations Manager and
Appointed Person
PLANNING
Qualifications (minimum)
• CPCS Appointed Person
• Management of Thorough
Examination
• HNC/HND
• CPCS Appointed Person (NVQ)
• Satisfactory completion of NCC
Management of Lifting operations in
Construction or equivalent
• CPCS Appointed Person (NVQ)
• PMSTS or equivalent (for example
SMSTS)
Additional Competencies
• Specific Product Knowledge
• Appointed Persons for tower cranes
need specific knowledge of planning
and supervising lifts for tower
cranes. This is because the standard
CPCS AP qualification is based on
Mobile Cranes.
• Specific Product Knowledge
• Application of appointed person to
tower crane
• Need for full appreciation of
principal contractor role in
management of lifting operations
• Specific Product Knowledge
• Application of appointed person to
tower crane
 ERECT AND DISMANTLE

Role Qualifications (minimum) Additional Competencies

Crane Supplier’s • CPCS Appointed Person (NVQ) • Specific Product Knowledge
Appointed Person • PMSTS or equivalent (for example SMSTS) • Application of appointed person to
• Management of Thorough Examination tower crane

Site Appointed • CPCS Appointed Person (NVQ)

Persons
Operator • Competent Operator (“Blue Card”) CPCS Tower • Product specific knowledge
Crane - CPCS Trolley Jib or Luffing Jib or
Pedestrian Operated Tower Crane as required.
Note: If the person operating the crane during
Erection and Dismantling is an operator, he
needs the appropriate NVQ Level 2 for Plant
Operations. If he is an erector he needs to have
Unit VR384 as part of his Erector NVQ.
Mechanic (where • NVQ Level 2 in Plant Maintenance or NVQ • Product specific knowledge
maintenance or repairs Level 3 in Plant Maintenance
are required as part of
the erection process)

Electrician • City and Guilds 2391 (Inspection, Testing and • Product specific knowledge
Certification)
• NVQ level 3.
• Electrotechnical Certification Scheme
Approved Electrician.
• Plant Installation (Tower Crane) NVQ Level 2
• City and Guilds 2382-10 (IEE Wiring Regulations
th
17 Edition - BS BS7671)
Tower crane erector • NVQ Level 2 Plant Installation (Tower Crane) • Product specific knowledge
through modular training with relevant
endorsement
• CPCS Slinger Signaller (NVQ)

Senior Erector (air) • CPCS Crane Supervisor (NVQ)
• NVQ Level 3 Plant Installation (Tower Crane)
with relevant endorsement
• CPCS Slinger Signaller (NVQ)
• PMSTS or equivalent (for example SMSTS)
• Product specific knowledge
Recommend attendance at NCC Tower
crane: Introduction to Thorough
Examination or equivalent to gain
adequate knowledge for carrying out
pre-thorough examination inspections

Erector supervisor • CPCS Crane Supervisor (NVQ) • Product specific knowledge

• NVQ Level 3 Plant Installation (Tower Crane)
with relevant endorsement
• CPCS Slinger Signaller (NVQ)
• PMSTS or equivalent (for example SMSTS)
Recommend attendance at NCC Tower
crane: Introduction to Thorough
Examination or equivalent to gain
adequate knowledge for carrying out
pre-thorough examination inspections

Mobile crane operator • Competent Operator (“Blue Card”) CPCS • Product specific knowledge
Mobile Crane with Endorsement A: Blocked
duties
Site / Structural • Satisfactory completion of CIRIA 1 day Tower • Product specific knowledge
Engineering Function Crane Design and Stability workshop or
equivalent
 OPERATION

Role Qualifications (minimum) Additional Competencies

Operator • CPCS Tower Crane • Product specific knowledge

Note: Trained Operators (“Red Card”

holders) will require period of
mentoring, duration is task specific

Slinger/signaller • CPCS Slinger Signaller Note: Trained Operators (“Red Card”

holders) will require period of
mentoring, duration is task specific
Crane supervisor • CPCS Crane Supervisor (S/NVQ) Note: Trained Operators (“Red Card”
holders) will require period of
mentoring, duration is task specific

Site Appointed person • CPCS Appointed Person (NVQ)

• Satisfactory completion of NCC
Management of Tower Cranes or
equivalent
Crane Coordinator • Satisfactory completion of NCC
Management of Tower Cranes or
equivalent
• Satisfactory completion of NCC
Management of Lifting Operations
in Construction or equivalent
 MAINTENANCE

Role Qualifications (minimum) Additional Competencies

Maintenance manager • C&G/NVQ Level 3 • Product specific knowledge
• Introduction to the Management of
Thorough Examination

Depot/Workshop Mechanics • C&G/NVQ Level 2 in Plant • Product specific knowledge

Maintenance or NVQ Level 3 in Plant
Maintenance
Recommend attendance at NCC Tower
crane: Introduction to Thorough
Examination or equivalent to gain
adequate knowledge for carrying out
pre-thorough examination inspections

In-service maintenance • C&G/NVQ Level 2 in Plant • Product specific knowledge

personnel Maintenance or NVQ Level 3 in Plant
(non-electrical) Maintenance Recommend attendance at NCC Tower
crane: Introduction to Thorough
Examination or equivalent to gain
adequate knowledge for carrying out
pre-thorough examination inspections

Electrician • City and Guilds 2391 (Inspection,

Testing and Certification)
• NVQ level 3.
• Electrotechnical Certification Scheme
Approved Electrician.
• Plant Installation (Tower Crane) NVQ
Level 2

Operator • CPCS Tower Crane • Product specific knowledge

 THOROUGH EXAMINATION

Role Qualifications (minimum) Additional Competencies

Competent Person • Engineering Technician as defined by the • Product specific knowledge
(Thorough Examination) Engineering Council or equivalent (e.g.
appropriate ONC with relevant experience); • Competent Person must have
having a minimum of 5 years experience within a necessary independence as
relevant discipline; specified in Maintenance,
of which at least one year shall have been spent Inspection and Thorough
working within an engineering discipline related Examination of Tower Cranes
to lifting equipment - CPA Best Practice Guide
TCIG 0801
or
• Person trained in a relevant engineering
discipline with a recognised and documented
engineering apprenticeship (in lieu of an
academic qualification);
with a minimum of 5 years experience within a
relevant discipline;
of which at least one year shall have been spent
working within an engineering discipline related
to lifting equipment

or
• Level 3 (Tower Crane Erector) or Level 4
(Engineer Surveyor National Vocational
Qualifications (NVQ) are available for competent
persons carrying out thorough examination of
tower cranes;
plus attendance at NCC Introduction to Thorough
Examination or equivalent
 Additional Information
Construction Awards Alliance http://www.caalliance.co.uk/

Construction Skills https://www.cskills.org/

National Construction College http://www.nationalconstructioncollege.co.uk

Electrical Qualifications http://www.electricalqualifications.co.uk/

City & Guilds http://www.cityandguilds.com

Construction Plant-Hire Association http://www.cpa.uk.net/

Construction Confederation http://www.constructionconfederation.co.uk/

Health and Safety Executive http://www.hse.gov.uk/

The Strategic Forum for Construction Health and Safety Group is a sub group of the
Strategic Forum for Construction. It is the only construction forum that seeks to
represent the whole of the construction community. It comprises of senior industry
figures who are committed to addressing the health and safety issues of the
construction industry through ownership, leadership and partnership. The forum’s
activities are both proactive and reactive but at all times seek to work in partnership
across the industry to achieve long term improvements.

The Tower Crane Group was formed to produce industry best practice guidance to
improve the planning, management, operations and communication of tower crane
activities across the whole of the construction industry.

For more information visit www.strategicforum.org.uk